The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector with a resilient clamping finger and more particularly to a support for supporting an integrated circuit chip on a printed circuit board and interconnecting electrical circuits on the chip with circuits on the board.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,757 to Andrews et al. discloses a conductive terminal for supporting a ceramic integrated circuit chip on a printed circuit or wiring board and electrically interconnecting circuits on the chip and board. As explained in the patent, printed circuit boards are subject to mechanical and thermal stresses which may cause warpage of the board. In addition, thermal stresses can result from temperature changes and the heat generated by electrical components on the chip. These mechanical and thermal stresses can damage the chip.
The terminal disclosed in the Andrews et al. patent has a rather complex configuration, has different widths over its length, includes a parallel conductor portion to shorten the electrical path, is embedded in an elastomeric material which absorbs some of the stresses, and is intended for insertion into a hole in the printed circuit board. These characteristics create wear problems, place a limit on the minimum spacing which can be attained between adjacent terminals and make the terminals more expensive to manufacture. In addition, the terminal is not suitable for use in situations where it is desired to solder a terminal to a flat surface of the printed circuit board.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present devices. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.